R Mason Thomas 2026 NFL Draft: scouting report for Oklahoma Sooners edge rusher

The leader of the Sooners’ defensive rebuild, R Mason Thomas is primed for an early selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.

AJ Schulte — College Football Trending News Writer

Feb 24, 2026 1:34 PM EST

Sep 20, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman R Mason Thomas (32) reacts after recording a sack during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. — Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Height: 6015
Weight: 241
Year: Senior
Pro Comparison: Elvis Dumervil

2026 NFL Combine Results

R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma

Hand Size: 8 7/8″
Arm Length: 31 5/8″
40-Yard Dash: 4.67
Vertical Leap: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

Pros of R Mason Thomas

Elite competitive toughness and motor: The first thing that stands out when you watch Thomas is how passionate he plays football. He is constantly the first off the line of scrimmage, he fights his tail off in every single rep. It’s hard for me to get the play of him returning a fumble for a TD against Tennessee after popping his quad and fighting off Volunteers the entire length of the field.

On the last play of the game against Auburn, Thomas told the rest of the defensive line not to rush and that “he’s got this”. Thomas proceeded to crash through the right tackle and running back before forcing the game-winning safety. Stock all. the. way. up.
Very good bend: I think Thomas is the bendiest edge rusher in this class. He’s a master at turning the corner, displaying great flexibility throughout his entire lower body. Thomas’s flexibility manipulates tackles around the arc, and also makes him highly effective looping inside.
Very good quickness: Thomas explodes off the line of scrimmage, immediately threatening tackles’ pass sets. He gains ground in a hurry and his closing burst to the quarterback is eye-popping, showing up alongside the best in the class. His speed-to-power offers a strong counter to his speed rushes as well, making him a versatile rusher with multiple ways to win.
Very good pass rush move set: Thomas has one of the deepest “bags” of pass rush moves of anyone in this edge rusher class. He throws the kitchen sink at tackles, showing off a slap-rip, ghost move, long arm, stab-chop, and some snatch-swims to generate plenty of pressures at Oklahoma.

Cons of R Mason Thomas

Poor length: Thomas has plenty of traits that are at the top of the class, but his arm length could be the lowest of the class. His last official measurement saw him come in just around 30-inch arms, which is 0th (yes, that is a zero) percentile.
Average run defense: Thomas competes his tail off in the run game, and he can make multiple splash plays against the run. He’s intelligent and quick to diagnose, and he can handle his own against tight ends. However, tackles with length at the next level will likely engulf him at the point of attack, and I don’t think he has the anchor to hold his own at the point of attack yet.
Injury history: Thomas has missed time in three of his four seasons at Oklahoma, with a hamstring, high-ankle sprain, and a quad injury on his resume already. While none of them were season-ending, it’s worth noting.

Background

A four-star recruit in Brent Venables’ first recruiting class with the Sooners, R Mason Thomas flipped to Oklahoma from Iowa State when Venables arrived. The potential was immediately evident with some splash plays against Texas and Florida State as a freshman, but injuries limited him in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

However, his 2024 season saw him stay healthy, and the Sooners were rewarded. Thomas dominated games, leading a resurgent Oklahoma defense into a complete turnaround with nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Thomas was named an All-SEC Second Teamer, and already received top-100 feedback from teams heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Thomas made the decision to return for this season, and his game improved, earning him a second-team All-American nod and an All-SEC First Team nomination despite only playing in 10 games.

Player Evaluation

R Mason Thomas is one of the best pass rushers in the 2026 NFL Draft, and teams will buy into his profile that way. He’s not the most powerful rusher, but his blend of explosive athleticism, bend, and a deep bag of pass rush moves make him a highly-effective pass rusher who can harass quarterbacks right away at the next level.

Where his evaluation gets tricky is his frame. He might have some of the shortest arms of any pass rusher in decades, and that will matter. While I do think length is somewhat overrated for defensive linemen, his length would be a severe outlier. Additionally, his frame is already fairly compact and I don’t know how much strength he can add to boost his anchor and hold up at the point of attack in the run game.

Thus, I feel like he will be (at least early on) as a “designated pass rusher” type with the upside to develop into a three-down player down the line. How teams weigh his ability as a pass rusher versus his frame and run defense will be worth monitoring, but I expect he’ll wind up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft if his medicals check out.